Configurable frame system

ABSTRACT

A configurable display frame includes at least one cavity that has a depth that corresponds to the thickness of a hook and loop fastening material. The configurable display frame may have one or a plurality of cavities. In embodiments that have a plurality of cavities, the frame may include a first cavity positioned along a top surface of the configurable display frame, a second cavity positioned along a left surface of the configurable display frame, a third cavity positioned along a right surface of the configurable display frame, and a fourth cavity positioned along a bottom surface of the configurable display frame. The cavity or cavities may permit hook and loop material or a similar fastener to be inset within the body of the frame so that the frame can easily be mounted flush with a wall or similar mounting surface.

PRIOR-FILED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to provisional patent application No. 62/864,408, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to the field of frames for displaying pictures and works of art.

BACKGROUND

Pictures, art, and similar decorations are frequently hung to the wall of a building using a frame. Conventionally, frames are mounted using wall-mounted fasteners such as nails, screws or brackets that engage frame-mounted complementary features (usually brackets or hooks). Such mounting devices, however, generally require permanent deformation or at least temporary damage to the mounting surface. Further, these conventional mounting devices may cause the decoration to protrude unevenly from the mounting surface.

SUMMARY

In accordance with a first illustrative embodiment, a configurable display frame comprises at least one embossed or depressed area that has a depth that corresponds to the thickness of a hook and loop fastening material. The cavity may include a first cavity positioned along a top surface of the configurable display frame, a second cavity positioned along a left surface of the configurable display frame, a third cavity positioned along a right surface of the configurable display frame, and a fourth cavity positioned along a bottom surface of the configurable display frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic, rear, wire-frame view of an illustrative configurable display frame;

FIG. 2 is a schematic, rear, solid model view of an illustrative configurable display frame;

FIG. 3 is a schematic, perspective view of the back of an illustrative configurable display frame having an easel support;

FIG. 4 is a schematic, perspective view of the back of an illustrative configurable display frame having a nail fastener;

FIG. 5 is a schematic, front view of an illustrative configurable display frame having a cavity for holding a picture or similar visual work;

FIG. 6 is a schematic, rear view of an illustrative configurable display frame having a hook portion of a hook and loop fastener interface adhered to a plurality of cavities;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic, rear views of portions of illustrative configurable display frames in which the respective frames include L-shaped cavities for receiving a hook and loop fastening material; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 are schematic, rear views of portions of illustrative configurable display frames in which the respective frames include a cavity that is a continuous groove that follows the contour of the frame.

DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to a configurable frame. The frame allows users to display a frame tabletop (using a fin easel), to hang on a wall using traditional nails or hooks, or to use an associated hook & loop material strip to stick the frame to a wall or other surface.

Many frames can be hung on the wall using commonly-available hook and loop (e.g., Velcro) strips, but the after-market versions force the frame to hang at an angle facing the floor. This can result in extra torque on the hook and loop joint an in turn more fallen and potentially damaged frames.

Among other features, the frame disclosed herein is embossed or otherwise fabricated to provide a cavity that houses the hook and loop fastening materials, which thereby enables the hook and loop fastening materials to sit parallel to the wall. This arrangement decreases the torque on the hook and loop fastening materials and provides a more secure mounting interface.

The frame embodiments disclosed herein differ from conventional frames, which are not designed to receive hook and loop fastening strips. Moreover, many finishes used in frame production are not suitable to work with adhesive strips and fail after a short period of time. The embossing feature of the instant frame is designed to adhere to the adhesive that is applied to the backing of the hook and loop material (or hook or loop material, as the case may be) which results in a stronger bond between the frame and the hook and loop material.

In a first embodiment, the configurable frame is a picture frame. In a second embodiment, the configurable frame is a poster frame. The poster frame may be implemented as a frame having corner embossing or as a frame having in-line channel embossing. In some embodiments, the hook portion of the hook and loop fastener may be formed integral to the frame or applied during manufacturing. In another embodiment, a custom-designed film may be applied to the embossed or depressed portion of the frame to better adhere to the backing of the hook and loop fastening material. A variety of embodiments are shown in the accompanying images.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a rear view of a wireframe drawing and picture (respectively) of an embodiment of a frame 100. The frame 100 includes a top side 102, left side 104, right side 106, and bottom side 108. Correspondingly, the frame 100 includes a first embossed area or first cavity 110 proximate to the top side 102, a second embossed area or second cavity 112 proximate to the left side 104, a third embossed area or third cavity 114 proximate to the right side 106, and a fourth embossed area or fourth cavity 116 proximate to the bottom side 116. Each cavity includes a planar surface that is parallel to but inset from the back of the frame, and sized and configured to receive a strip of hook and loop fastening material such that the depth (or amount of inset) of the cavity is approximately the same as the thickness of the hook and loop fastening material. In some embodiments, one or all of the cavities may be considered as being optional, and omitted from the frame 100.

Holes 120, 122, 124, 126 are centered within each of the respective embossed areas (i.e., cavities), and slots are arranged next to each of the embossed areas. Each of the holes 120, 122, 124, 126 may be used as a mounting hole to receive a nail 160 (as shown in FIG. 4), screw, or similar fastener to affix the frame 100 to a wall.

Further, a first top slot 140 and second top slot 142 are arranged (respectively) on the left and right of the first cavity 110, a first left slot 146 and second left 144 are arranged (respectively) above and below the second cavity 112, a first right slot 148 and second right slot 150 are arranged (respectively) above and below the third cavity 114, and a first bottom slot 152 and second bottom slot 154 are arranged (respectively) on the left and right of the fourth cavity 116.

The frame 100 further includes a snap-off easel support 130 having a first tab 132 and second tab 134, which are sized and configured to engage each of the sets of slots (140 and 142, 144 and 146, 148 and 150, and 152 and 154) to support the frame 100 in an easel configuration, as shown in FIG. 3. The easel support 130 is formed integrally to the frame and attached to support 138 by frangible joints 136, 137.

A front view of the frame 100 is shown in FIG. 5, and demonstrates that the frame 100 includes a cavity for holding a picture, matt, and glass or plastic cover, or some combination of the foregoing.

FIG. 6 shows a rear view of a second embodiment of a frame 200 that is analogous in most respects to the frame 100 of FIG. 1. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, however, the first cavity 210, second cavity 212, third cavity 214, and fourth cavity 216 are formed with the hook portion of the hook and loop fastening material already adhered within the respective cavities.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show embodiments in which the respective frames 300, 400 are configured to receive a poster for display and include L-shaped embossed areas 310 and 410 for receiving a hook and loop fastening material. While only one embossed area is shown with respect to each embodiment, it is noted that each corner of the respective frames 300, 400 may be similarly configured. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the first embossed area 310 may include a surface coating that is selected to bond to an adhesive backing of a hook and loop fastening material. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the embossed area 410 is formed with the hook portion of the hook and loop fastening material already adhered within the L-shaped embossed area 410.

FIGS. 9 and 10 also show embodiments in which the respective frames 500, 600 are configured to receive a poster for display. Instead of including L-shaped embossed areas, however, the embodiments of FIGS. 9 and 10 include embossed areas 510 and 610, respectively, that are continuous channels that are inset from the perimeter of the frames 500 and 600. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the embossed area 510 may include a surface coating that is selected to bond to an adhesive backing of a hook and loop fastening material. In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the embossed area 610 is formed with the hook portion of the hook and loop fastening material already adhered within the channel that forms the embossed area 610.

The foregoing embodiments describe a versatile frame that can be configured in a number of display configurations, many of which alleviate the need to form a hole in the mounting surface that supports the frame. The frame may be formed or supplied with hook and loop fastening material that is sized to reside within a recessed, or embossed area that corresponds to the thickness of the fastening material, thereby allowing the frame to be mounted to a wall (with a hook portion of the fastening material adhered to the frame and a loop portion of the fastening material adhered to the wall, or vise versa) such that the back surface of the frame is parallel to and in relatively continuous contact with the mounting surface so that torque is minimized at the fastening joint(s). In some embodiments, the frame may further include a snap-off easel support that may be broken apart from the body of the frame, whereupon tabs of the easel support may engage slots formed within the frame to facilitate displaying the frame on a table or other horizontal surface.

In some embodiments the frame is made using injection molded plastic. In other embodiments, the frame may be fabricated using an alternative material and machining processes, including metal or wood. For example, in some embodiments the embossed areas 112 may instead be formed by machining or molding, and the frame material may be a wood, natural fiber, ceramic, pottery, polyresin, cement, magnesium or other frame material. Further, in some embodiments, the embossed areas 112 (and complementary hook and look strips) may have a shape other than a rectangle (e.g., an L-shape, a circle, a triangle, or a diamond). In addition, the embossed areas may be formed to include additional features to enhance adherence, such as a tongue and groove interface wherein the embossed areas are formed with grooves that engage complementary “tongue” features on the backing of an adhesive (or even a backing strip that does not include a glue-like adhesive).

While detailed illustrative embodiments are disclosed herein, the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and the systems and methods described below can be embodied in various forms. Unless otherwise stated, the features of each embodiment may be combined with the features of other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present subject matter in virtually any appropriately detailed structure and function. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting, but rather, to provide an understandable description of the concepts.

The present disclosure is being presented for purposes of illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 

1. A configurable display frame comprises: at least one cavity having a depth that corresponds to the thickness of a hook and loop fastening material.
 2. The configurable display frame of claim 1, wherein the at least one cavity comprises a first cavity positioned along a top surface of the configurable display frame, a second cavity positioned along a left surface of the configurable display frame, a third cavity positioned along a right surface of the configurable display frame, and a fourth cavity positioned along a bottom surface of the configurable display frame.
 3. The configurable display frame of claim 1, wherein the at least one cavity comprises a through hole.
 4. The configurable display frame of claim 1, wherein the at least one cavity comprises a continuous channel that is offset from the perimeter of the frame.
 5. The configurable display frame of claim 1, wherein the at least one cavity comprises a plurality of L-shaped cavities, wherein each L-shaped cavity corresponds to a corner of the configurable display frame.
 6. The configurable display frame of claim 1, further comprising an easel support formed integrally to the configurable display frame.
 7. The configurable display frame of claim 6, wherein the easel support is coupled to the configurable display frame by frangible joints.
 8. The configurable display frame of claim 7, wherein the easel support comprises a plurality of tabs, and wherein the configurable display frame comprises a plurality of slots, and wherein each of the plurality of tabs has dimensions that correspond to the dimensions of the plurality of slots such that the easel support frictionally engages and supports the configurable display frame when the tabs are inserted into the slots The configurable display frame of claim 1, further comprising an easel support formed integrally to the configurable display frame.
 9. A configurable display frame comprising an easel support formed integrally to the configurable display frame.
 10. The configurable display frame of claim 9, wherein the easel support is coupled to the configurable display frame by frangible joints.
 11. The configurable display frame of claim 9, wherein the easel support comprises a plurality of tabs, and wherein the configurable display frame comprises a plurality of slots, and wherein each of the plurality of tabs has dimensions that correspond to the dimensions of the plurality of slots such that the easel support frictionally engages and supports the configurable display frame when the tabs are inserted into the slots. 